Wakefield Rhubarb Festival: A Thoughtful Weekend Supporting Local

Wakefield, not typically at the forefront of one’s mind when you think pink, except for one very special weekend every year. A weekend when the city hosts its annual Rhubarb Festival. Picture the scene: wooden chalet-style pop-up-stalls lining the cathedral precinct, the “cow cam” live from the “Milk From The Hills” van, steam rising from street-food vendors and coffee stands, and most importantly the hustle and bustle of busloads (literally) of rhubarb connoisseurs from all over Yorkshire and beyond, easily identified by the bright pink bundles of the stuff poking out of pockets, backpacks and prams. For the rest of the country, rhubarb may well just be a vegetable. Here, it’s a mark of belonging.

All photos kindly taken by @Mr_Sharratt

Why Wakefield Is Known for Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb

If you don’t know, Wakefield sits at the heart of “The Rhubarb Triangle”, arguably the second most famous triangle in the world, and the home of forced rhubarb. And that’s official too by the way. In 2010, Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb was awarded Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status by the European Commission's Protected Food Name scheme. We’ve raised statues in honour of it, adorned our village signage with it and now of course, we’ve held a festival every year in celebration of it - complete with mascot or hostess, in truth I am honestly not sure, Ruby Rhubarb. 

A Day at the Wakefield Rhubarb Festival

So, what goes on at Wakefield’s Rhubarb Festival? Well, for me, this year, it all started at The Art House with a stroll through their Tiled Gallery which had been transformed in honour of the occasion into a cosy Rhubarb Lounge. There were two highlights here for me, first was the low lighting reminiscent of the candlelight forced rhubarb is harvested by to protect the pink pigment. Second was the pipecleaner creation station where you could make your very own rhubarb badge, which I did very enthusiastically and wore with pride for the duration of the weekend!

From there, it was a potter through The Ridings Shopping Centre via the pop-up stalls and record fair and out towards The Hepworth Gallery to visit their House of Makers. An intimate showcase of independent makers, it’s a must-visit year-round for artisan food and drink, homeware, jewellery, prints and textiles. During the festival, it’s elevated even further with extra rhubarb-themed things on offer in the Hepworth café and gift shop. Our top pick on this visit? Rhubarb ice cream from Fennells; surprisingly sweet and incredibly creamy.

After the Hepworth, it was onwards to the main event. We headed up Kirkgate to the Cathedral precinct and started our slow meander through the traders to the best stall of all: The Rhubarb Hut. Here, after passing everything from rhubarb chutneys to cheeses, you arrive at rhubarb in its purest form: bunch upon bunch of unedited, unadulterated rhubarb stalks (petioles if you’re really into it). I left with two bunches… reasonable for a two-person household. Had I a garden though, then a bunch of rhubarb roots would’ve been on the cards too. Something to invest in another year if things go to plan.

Supporting Local Businesses in Wakefield

As a long-standing Wakefield resident, it’s a real pleasure to see the city awash with so many people, both local and from further afield, enjoying some of the best produce our area has to offer. It’s lively, welcoming and absolutely full of creativity. And I haven’t even scratched the surface of all there is to do on the day: chef demonstrations, live music, craft activities and of course, plenty of eating and drinking. I may be biased, but if you haven’t been before, I’d highly recommend it. It’s great for all our local businesses too. The footfall to the city gives all of my favourite places a real chance to shine. From Haus to The Hepworth and from The Art House to The Iris, trust me, Wakefield is far more nuanced than the clichés sometimes attached to it. And speaking of The Iris restaurant, this is where we then headed off for a sensational lunch, complete, of course, with a rhubarb and Yorkshire parkin pudding.

Why Thoughtful Travel Starts Close to Home

Local festivals like this matter more than we often realise. If you’re lucky enough to have one on your doorstep as I do, then don’t overlook it. Not every great day out is a motorway away. They bring footfall when high streets are quiet. They give independent traders a platform. They remind us that regional identity isn’t abstract; it’s grown, harvested and sold by real people. Sometimes it's not about travelling far, it’s about travelling well, and turning up to these events can make all the difference to your community. I like to think that by adding my feet to the footfall and my money to the market, I’ve made a small contribution towards making it happen all over again next year, and the year after that. Wakefield’s known for many things, but our Rhubarb Festival is, in my opinion, one of the best things.

Finally, with thoughtful travel, it’s as much about what you come home with as where you’ve been. In my case, I came home with two bunches of rhubarb, one of which became homemade compote less than four hours later. But more than that, I came home with a refreshed pride in my hometown and a handmade badge to showcase it.